New bike-share services have raised the ire of San Francisco traffic authorities after their bicycles were found ditched around the city, but an executive of one of the start-ups said the friction with officials is an opportunity to strengthen its relationship with the community. “We are seeing this as an opportunity to improve, understand the needs, and make sure there’s education on both sides to create a long term program,” said Caen Contee, the vice president of partnerships for LimeBike. That year-old start-up maintains a fleet of GPS-enabled bicycles, electric bikes, and scooters that can be unlocked with smartphones. Unlike some urban bike services that require riders to pick-up and drop-off at specific docking stations, you can hop on and off a LimeBike almost anywhere. But LimeBike's dock-less model has led some users to abuse its flexibility. The city of San Francisco recently sent LimeBike and two other bike-share companies a cease-and-desist letter for creating [“a public nuisance.”](https://sf.curbed.com/2018/4/16/17244850/scooters-cease-desist-san-francisco-letter-stop-motorized) after unused bikes were left lying around the city or, in some cases, thrown into local waterways. Contee said he is confident that bike-sharing companies can work through these early kinks the way the auto industry did in its early years, before there was any parking infrastructure or standard parking enforcement. “We have been able to stand by the fact that we’re working with communities, with associations, hiring local people,” said Contee. He says the services have shown they can solve an immediate problem. The company, founded last year, is backed by venture capitalists, including Andreessen Horowitz, and has raised $132 million in funding. Riders have made over 88 million trips on shared bikes from 2010 to 2016, according to a [report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials](https://nacto.org/bike-share-statistics-2016/). LimeBike's Contee sees more opportunity for growth. The start-up has plans to enter New York, where it will directly take on the incumbent Citi Bike. But Contee isn't worried about the competition. "It’s about being complementary,” he told Cheddar. “There are areas of the city that don’t have it. How do we create something that allows them to be served?” For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/limebike-wants-you-to-scoot-to-work).

Share:
More In Business
A US tariff exemption for small orders ends Friday. It’s a big deal.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Load More